What’s your most durable “they just don’t make ‘em like that anymore” piece of gear?
I have a orange continental trainer tire that has served me for 26 ironman races. No joke. I can actually remember a conversation I had with my LBS mechanic when I had my bike in the shop, *in 2008* , when he told me the tire was shot and needed replacement. For context, the shop is long gone, the mechanic has literally retired, and yet this freakin tire still rolls on.
Ive posted a bunch on this tire because it represents an almost unreal value. To contrast, i’ve has running tights that lasted about a third of a winter, carbon stems that have cracked on their maiden ride, and shorts that have split at the seam after 20 miles of running.
@Al Truscott has posted about his entirely-rebuilt, every - part -replaced Ti Merlin bike in the past ... what’s on your triathlon ‘good stuff’ list?
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Also, I remember when a magazine cost just a nickel and those damn kids stayed off my lawn.
I'll post two things I've been using for years - and years - and years - and years:
1) Garmin Edge 500. I've watched that go to the 510, 520, 520+, and 530, but the 500 still has more functionality than I'll ever need and it's still running.
2) G2 Powertap - I have two wheelsets with G2 built into the rear hub and they are just about flawless. By comparison, my P1 Powertap Pedals are much more finicky and the battery life is spit compared to the G2s.
My old Trek 5200 road bike in USPS livery. I've replaced just about every component on that bike except the shifters and it just keeps on going. A branch got tangled up in my rear wheel and tore the derailleur hanger off the frame about 10 years ago. The LBS sent it back to Trek and they repaired it for free. The only reason I finally replaced it with a new road bike is because the years of sweating and spilling gatorade all over it finally destroyed most of the decals and it looks horrible, but to this day it's still the bike I ride most often as it's now my Zwift trainer mule for ~9 months of the year.
I just love my Look 585. Like @John Katsoudas , I've replaced bars/stem/groupset/wheels a number of times in the 15years I've owned it.
Can't justify and simply don't want to upgrade it - despite external cable routing etc. I did Ironman Nice and the (now defunct) Monaco 70.3 on it in the late noughties. Ever since, it's been my 'pleasure' bike - unlike the TT bike which all about racing.
My most durable piece of equipment is my old school Garmin heart rate monitor, pictured below. I've tried some of the latest and popular monitors ,including optical monitors but they all stopped working after 4-6 months. I've gone through the following and some 2-3 times with warranty replacements: Garmin premium soft strap, Wahoo Tickr, Mio optical, Scosche Rhythm. Finally, I went back to an earlier version of the Garmin strap. It never stopped working, I just upgraded to what I thought were better HRMs...glad I kept it. This just works every single time and is accurate...nothing fancy.
I wear this Timex in races as a back up in case my Garmin fails. It keeps on ticking. It must be 8 - 10 yrs old! Cost $29 😎
oooh. And my Mountain Equipment Co-op dayglo green nylon running jacket. Clinton and Cretien were still "novice leaders" when I got this sucker. My brother bought it for me in 19tickety5 (seriously, in 1995) and it has been my main outerwear for every winter run - Canadian winter - since then. The seams are still perfect. the stretchy things are still stretchy. The stitching and thread are unfrayed and tight (to contrast, I had a bespoke shirt from a Savile Row tailor that lasted 4 years of light OFFICE use and cost 15x what the jacket did).
I love new gear and get psyched when cervelo releases a px whatever, but damn, some things just punch so high above their weight.
I've got a few pieces of equipment
1) Power tap pro+ - I thought it was dying this year after 10 years of services. It was old batteries so it lives on through it's 11th OS, well I've not performed fully in 2 or 3 of those but that's a different thread.
2) I also use an old school HR monitor like Derrek and a watch like Shelia that's even older . Purchased a new back up HR strap this year.
3) I've got a Kurt Kinetic, pre 2007 model that I just replaced the l-bolt on this year. Had a taxc model prior to this for a couple years when I started tris in 2001.
4) Garmin 305 that's now retired due to not holding a charge, been using my 310XT that I purchased refurbished for a few year. Both I consider great value purchases.
5) Wheelbuilder wheel cover also purchased 10 years ago. I don't race a alot. It does have a couple cracks and is getting to the end of its life. I plan to use it this year for Calgary 70.3
6) 2010 Specialized transition is still going strong.